Lived Experiences of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Agents from Non-Language Fields in Cross-Cultural Communication

This study examined the cross-cultural communication experiences of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) agents who graduated from non-language academic fields such as nursing, engineering, business, information technology, and other programs not related to English. Specifically, it aimed to identify the challenges they encountered, the coping strategies they developed, and how they made sense of their early experiences in the BPO workplace. The findings of the study also served as the basis for the development of an English Training Guide for BPO Agents from Non-Language Fields designed to support communication skills and workplace adaptation. This study employed a qualitative research design using Thematic Narrative Analysis. The participants were eight BPO agents from Iloilo City selected through purposive sampling based on their non-language academic backgrounds and a minimum of six months of BPO work experience. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion, which allowed participants to share detailed accounts of their communication experiences, challenges, and adjustments in the BPO industry. The narratives were analyzed to identify common patterns across participants’ experiences. The findings revealed themes including communication barriers, cultural misunderstandings, emotional challenges, professional identity development, and adaptive coping strategies. Despite the difficulties encountered, participants demonstrated resilience and developed practical ways to improve communication skills and adjust to workplace demands. Based on these findings, the study proposed the development of an English Training Guide focused on communication skills, cultural awareness, customer interaction strategies, and emotional resilience. This output aims to provide practical support for new BPO agents from non-language backgrounds and to enhance training programs that can help them adapt more effectively to the communication demands of the BPO industry.